1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and methods for improving muscle and joint function, aiding weak muscles and/or slowing muscle deterioration for people who are living with muscle weakening conditions, such as muscular dystrophy, stroke and polio. The present invention allows such people to continue to ambulate longer and ambulate with more stability and safety than they could without using the present invention.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that gradually weakens the body's muscles. In particular, incorrect or missing genetic information prevents the body from making the distrophin proteins it needs to build and maintain healthy muscles. While the genetic defect is present at birth, the weakness in the muscles most often only becomes evident in early childhood when the child begins to walk. There are other forms of muscular dystrophy wherein other symptoms don't appear until later in childhood.
In the case of a child who is diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, that child gradually loses the ability to do basic activities, such as walking, sitting upright, breathing easily, and moving the arms and hands. In the basic activities that depend on postural muscles, such as those of the pelvic girdle and the quadricep muscles are weakened to an extent that ambulation is affected early. In the different types of muscular dystrophy, the severity of the effect on the muscles results in different degrees of muscle weakness. In the case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the pelvic muscles begin to weaken around age 2 followed by the muscles of the upper leg (quads) that assist in ambulation and later the muscles weaken in the shoulders and the arms. Becker muscular dystrophy is similar to Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the pattern of how it affects the muscles, but begins in a person's teen years and progresses more slowly. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy typically begins to reveal itself when kids are between 8 and 15 years old. This form of muscular dystrophy progresses slowly, affecting the pelvic and shoulder girdles, upper legs (quads), ankles, dorsiflexors, planarflexors and back muscles. In the case of Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, the upper arm, shoulders and upper back lose strength first followed by the legs and pelvic muscles of the person.
In response to the symptoms of losing muscle strength, doctors are working to improve muscle and joint function for people living with the condition. One avenue in improving muscle and joint function has been to perform physical therapy on the muscle groups, such as the pelvic muscles and joints, that are most affected by the condition so as to maintain range of motion at the joints. Such physical therapy allows weaker muscles to continue to function and prolong the ability to stand and ambulate.
One disadvantage with physical therapy is that it only occurs at intermittent times of the day and week.
A second disadvantage with physical therapy is that muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease without any hope of strengthening the afflicted muscles. The only hope is to maintain range of motion at the joints and prevent contractures This is best achieved by facilitating ambulation and standing.